USMNT star Ricardo Pepi disrespected by Augsburg! American's agent rips parent club for poor treatment and says player will never go back

• Pepi upset with parent club Augsburg
• Agent accused Germans of disrespect
• USMNT star linked with other Dutch teams

WHAT HAPPENED? The attacker became the most expensive American player to be signed by a European team when he made the €18 million (£15m/$20m) switch to the German side from FC Dallas in 2022. The 20-year-old has impressed at struggling Groningen and attracted interest from other teams and he hopes to make another move in the summer, while his agent ripped into Augsburg for an apparent lack of respect.

WHAT THEY SAID: "For me it is clear: I do not want to go back to Augsburg. I have already let the club know that," Pepi told Voetbal International. "I have been promised and promised things that have not been fulfilled. Then it is simple: then you have to look for another club."

Agent Jaime Garcia added: "We appreciate the investment the club has made, but once he came in, it seemed they didn't know how to handle such an investment. The manager didn't speak to him, the director wanted him so badly that he twice did not show up for an appointment with Ricardo that he had scheduled himself. The coach talks about him at a press conference, but does not respond to a message Ricardo sent him for four days. Is that respectful? But maybe he knew that Ricardo wanted to tell him that he doesn't want to return to Augsburg. And then an 18-year-old boy from Texas is criticized for not showing anything in the average 28 minutes of playing time. Tell me: what can you show in such a short period of time?"

AND WHAT'S MORE: Garcia went further: "Ricardo has to think about his future. It is not in Augsburg. He knows that he is well positioned in the market in the Netherlands. He feels at home here, as a footballer and a person. Yes, Augsburg can provide a commitment until 2026, but if they bring him back and he doesn't play again, that 16 million investment will disappear like snow in the sun."

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Pepi made 16 appearances for Augsburg between joining the club and being loaned to Groningen. He has excelled in the Eredivisie, scoring 10 times in 22 appearances for a team sitting second bottom in the table. The attacker's performances in Netherlands have caught the attention of Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord and Eindhoven giants PSV ahead of the summer transfer window.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

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Getty Images

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WHAT NEXT? Before he can sort out his future, Pepi will look to rescue Groningen from relegation. The northern Netherlands club can boost their hopes of avoiding the drop when they take on RKC Waalwijk next week.

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